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Trump blasts NATO after allies rebuff his call to help reopen Strait of Hormuz

March 17, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — After NATO allies rebuffed his call to assist the U.S. in securing the critical Strait of Hormuz, President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the U.S. doesn’t need their help after all.

“I think NATO’s making a very foolish mistake,” Trump said, airing out his grievances with the transatlantic alliance during an Oval Office meeting with Ireland’s Taoiseach Micheál Martin.

“This was a great test because we don’t need them, but they should have been there,” the president added.

Trump over the weekend requested U.S. partners in Europe and Asia send warships to help police the strait, where roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply is caught in the crosshairs of the U.S. and Israeli war with Iran.

No country has publicly announced plans to send ships or other kinds of assistance to unblock the strait.

“This is not our war; we did not start it,” German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on Monday.

“We will not be drawn into the wider war,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer similarly said.

Despite the cold shoulder from several allies, President Trump on Monday said that “numerous countries” had told him “they’re on the way.” Trump did not identify which countries, and said that Secretary of State Marco Rubio would soon provide a list.

As of Tuesday afternoon, no list had been released.

When asked what countries would join in a coalition to secure the strait, Trump said he’s had “great support from the Middle East” including Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and “of course Israel” — but did not explicitly say what those countries would be doing.

In a social media post on Tuesday, Trump wrote the U.S. military had been “informed by most of our NATO ‘Allies’ that they don’t want to get involved with our Military Operation against the Terrorist Regime of Iran, in the Middle East, this, despite the fact that almost every Country strongly agreed with what we are doing, and that Iran cannot, in any way, shape, or form, be allowed to have a Nuclear Weapon.”

Trump said the U.S. didn’t need the assistance from those countries, or from “Japan, Australia and South Korea.”

“Well, we don’t need too much help, and we don’t need any help, actually,” Trump later said in the Oval Office.

When asked if he would retaliate against NATO countries for not heeding his call or if he was rethinking the alliance, Trump said no.

“I have nothing currently in mind. But I will say that I’m not exactly thrilled,” Trump said.

Trump pointed to the assistance the U.S. provided to help Ukraine fight Russia’s invasion under the Biden administration as he criticized NATO for not stepping in to help with reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

“You would have thought they would have said, ‘We’d love to send a couple of minesweepers,'” Trump said. “It’s not a big deal. It doesn’t cost very much money. But they didn’t do that. So, you know, it’s — I think it’s very unfair to the United States, not to me, but to the United States.”

Meanwhile, the impact of Iran’s stranglehold is being felt abroad and at home. The price of oil has hovered around $100 a barrel this week. In the U.S., the national average for a gallon of gas is $3.79 — up about 88 cents from a month ago.

President Trump had also called on China, which Iran is still allowing to transit the Gulf, to assist in the Strait of Hormuz. The response from China’s foreign ministry was a call for all parties to immediately stop military operations.

President Trump announced Tuesday that his previously planned trip to China is now postponed for five to six weeks. Trump didn’t provide details on why, only that he was “resetting the meeting” originally scheduled for early April.

“I look forward to seeing President Xi. He looks forward to seeing me, I think,” Trump said.

OG Pussycat Doll claims she wasn’t invited to take part in reunion tour: ‘Disappointing on a personal level’

March 17, 2026 by WDNY Radio

The Pussycat Dolls announced a reunion tour in 2019 featuring five of the original six members, which was subsequently canceled due to legal disputes. For the group’s newly announced reunion tour, there are only three Dolls participating — Kimberly Wyatt, Ashley Roberts and Nicole Scherzinger — and one original member is now claiming she never got the invite.

On Tuesday, O.G. Doll Carmit Bachar, who was part of that original canceled reunion tour, wrote on Instagram that she wanted to “speak honestly and respectfully.” She then wrote, “I was not contacted regarding the group’s decision to move forward, and I learned of these plans at the same time as the public.”

“Given my history with the brand, having been part of its foundation long before its commercial debut and instrumental in the connections that led to the record deal…I would have appreciated direct communication,” she went on to say. “While this is disappointing on a personal level, I remain proud of the role I played in helping shape what The Pussycat Dolls became.”

Carmit noted, “My intention in sharing this is not to create division, but to honor the truth and the fans who have supported us throughout the years. Transparency and respect are values I hold deeply.”

She signed off by saying she’s focusing on her well-being and remains “open-hearted about the future.” She also promised information about upcoming projects as well as “an exciting collaboration with a television and music industry icon.”

Meanwhile, the new PCD tour is set to start June 5 in Palm Desert, California.

Deployment of Marines to Middle East raises specter of ground troops in Iran

March 17, 2026 by WDNY Radio

(WASHINGTON) — The Pentagon’s decision to send the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, a 2,200-troop force, to the Middle East is fueling new speculation about whether the conflict with Iran could involve U.S. ground troops, a step that would mark a dramatic escalation and potentially push the already unpopular war into a far more dangerous phase.

It could take up to two weeks, or the end of March, before the unit is in place and its presence unlikely to significantly shift the dynamics of the war on its own, experts say. A Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) can deliver an initial surge of troops quickly, but seizing and holding key terrain, or sustaining a prolonged fight, would almost certainly require a far larger ground force.

Experts say the MEU would likely be used to conduct raids across the Iranian shoreline to gain a foothold in areas across the crucial oil shipping waterway, the Strait of Hormuz, which has emerged as a contested point of the conflict.

A Quinnipiac University poll from earlier this month showed 74% of registered voters opposed sending U.S. ground troops into Iran while 20% supported it.

Asked Tuesday if he was afraid of the Iranian regime’s assertion that U.S. boots on the ground “will be another Vietnam,” President Donald Trump replied, “No, I’m not afraid. I’m really not afraid of anything.”

Sailing from the Pacific, it will likely take up to two weeks for Marines to be in place in the Middle East, and it is not yet clear what those troops would be used for. The unit operates as a self-contained, sea-based force — essentially a floating hub capable of launching troops, aircraft and equipment without relying on nearby bases or infrastructure.

Reopening the Strait of Hormuz would unlock a waterway through which 20% of the globe’s oil supply transits each day. Its closure has seen gas prices soar and markets roiled. Trump has referenced shorelines from which the Iranians can attack vessels transiting the waterway.

“Now we are pounding that area, that coast, as you know, left side,” Trump said Monday. “We’re pounding it like really pounding it hard.”

According to Michael Eisenstadt, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute, the MEU could take part in land-based “raids” on targets along that coast.

“There’s a number of missions where you can conceivably see a MEU playing a role, either unilaterally or kind of in conjunction with maybe the deployment of larger Army units,” said Eisenstadt, who believes the deployment of the MEU was likely related to the strait.

Iranian fortifications along the coast that could “interfere with convoy operations,” Eisenstadt said, could be U.S. targets. Top military leaders have said they’ve explored the potential uses of convoys, or warship escorts, to facilitate the safe passage of commercial shipping through the strait.

Raiding parties could target missile storage bunkers that are hardened and difficult for U.S. warplanes to destroy from the air.

The idea would be to “clear out the shore and then use air power to prevent them from returning once you’ve cleared out those areas,” Eisenstadt said.

Such an operation would not by itself create conditions for smooth sailing in the strait, experts told ABC News.

“My concern is that it takes so little to disrupt the shipping industry, Eisenstadt said. “If there’s a small, you know, kind of a small residual [Iranian] capability, it could still potentially be very disruptive.”

The 2,200 Marines in the MEU would limit any operation longer than a raid, which have pre-planned withdrawals. To get on land, these types of Marine units primarily seize footholds by riding small watercraft onto beaches or by helicopter insertion.

“Normally in an amphibious assault, you have all sorts of Navy landing craft behind you to sustain the force ashore. There’s none of that. There’s none of that logistical tail that would allow them to remain ashore,” said retired Marine Col. Steve Ganyard, an ABC News contributor.

Leaving strategic waters in the Pacific

The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit is primarily based in Japan, where it routinely trains with the Japanese Self-Defense Forces on skills in high demand across the Pacific, including rapidly seizing small islands. Earlier this month, it took part in a major annual exercise that featured amphibious assault drills, marksmanship training and operations focused on capturing hostile terrain, according to the Defense Department.

Their removal from the region removes one of the primary ground combat elements in the Pacific, which could respond to a crisis with China or North Korea. Other significant combat elements in the region include the Army’s 2nd Infantry Division, stationed to bolster South Korea’s frontline against Pyongyang, as well as the Army’s 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii and the 11th Airborne Division in Alaska.

“That leaves a ground combat and amphibious capability gap in the region,” Carlton Haelig, an expert in military operations and fellow at the Center for New American Security, said.

The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, based out of Camp Pendleton, California, is preparing to deploy to the Pacific, according to Pentagon imagery.

It was rare, we were there: Happy three-year anniversary to Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour

March 17, 2026 by WDNY Radio

It was a long time coming, but Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour launched three years ago on March 17, 2023.

Taylor’s first stadium tour since 2018 kicked off in Glendale, Arizona, and wrapped up in Vancouver, British Columbia, in December 2024. Along the way, it visited 149 shows in 51 cities across five continents and became the highest-grossing tour of all time.

Running more than 3.5 hours, the Eras Tour was also the first to earn more than $1 billion and then $2 billion. The Federal Reserve even credited the tour with boosting the U.S. economy, contributing more than $4 billion to the country’s GDP. Taylor herself became a billionaire, allowing her to eventually buy back the rights to her master recordings.

In addition to earning buckets of money, the Eras Tour became a cultural phenomenon. Cities renamed themselves in honor of the tour. Superstars flocked to witness it. Media outlets hired full-time correspondents to cover it. And one guy in Kansas City got so upset that he didn’t get to meet Taylor after the show one night that he proposed to her just over two years later.

The Eras Tour boosted sales of Taylor’s entire catalog and sent her 2019 song “Cruel Summer” to #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. In the midst of the tour in 2024, she released a new album, The Tortured Poets Society, and in October 2025, she released another new album, The Life of a Showgirl, which she’d written and recorded while on tour. Both of those albums broke sales records.

The Eras Tour was captured in a movie, which became the highest-grossing concert film of all time and in a Disney+ docuseries; the final show was also turned into a Disney+ special.

Right now on the Taylor Nation Instagram page, you can share your favorite memories of the tour.

Lil Wayne adds dates to tour celebrating more than 20 years of ‘Tha Carter’ series

March 17, 2026 by WDNY Radio

The celebration of Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter series continues, as he has added a new set of shows to his tour due to overwhelming demand.

The new leg is scheduled to begin June 30 and run through Oct. 23. Cities on the itinerary include Chicago, St. Louis, Nashville, and Raleigh, among others. This time around, he’ll be joined by 2 Chainz, while The Game, who is celebrating over 20 years of his Documentary album, will support on select dates.

A Citi presale begins Wednesday at 10 a.m. local time, followed by an artist presale at noon local time. Tickets go on sale to the general public Friday at 10 a.m. local time via Ticketmaster.com.

Early buyers will have access to a special 2-for-$75 ticket offer, available while supplies last.

The tour celebrates more than 20 years of Wayne’s Tha Carter series, which began in 2004. Six installments have been released over the years, including Tha Carter II (2005), Tha Carter III (2008), Tha Carter IV (2011), Tha Carter V (2018) and Tha Carter VI (2025).

Nashville notes: Hannah Dasher’s new order + Chayce Beckham’s Old Fashioned Tour

March 17, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Chayce Beckham currently has nine more shows on his Old Fashioned Tour, amid being in the studio working on new music.

Hannah Dasher’s Scattered, Smothered & Covered EP drops March 27, featuring classics by Tammy Wynette, Earl Thomas Conley and Hank Williams Jr. Her first cookbook, named for her viral video series, Stand by Your Pan, is out now.

Maren Morris will kick off her 12-date dreamGiRL Tour June 13 in Calgary, Alberta, marking the 10th anniversary of her debut album, HERO.

Call me baby: Carly Rae Jepsen welcomes first child

March 17, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Carly Rae Jepsen has gone from “Call Me Maybe” to “Call Me Baby:” She and her husband Cole Marsden Greif-Neill, aka Cole M.G.N., have welcomed their first child.

On her Instagram Story, Carly shared a mirror selfie of herself holding a newborn dressed in a green-and-white striped onesie and cap. She wrote, “Last 2 weeks have been the best of my life. Welcome to the world little one.” She didn’t reveal the baby’s gender or name.

In November, Carly and Cole announced the pregnancy with a black-and-white photo of themselves sitting on their bed, with Carly showing off her baby bump. The caption read, “Oh hi baby.”

The Canadian singer and the music producer first met in 2021 at a songwriting session and started dating in 2022. They got engaged in 2024, and wed in October of 2025 at the Chelsea Hotel in New York City.

Olivia Dean, Lil Uzi Vert, Clipse, Leon Thomas tapped for Lollapalooza 2026

March 17, 2026 by WDNY Radio

The lineup for Lollapalooza has been announced, and Olivia Dean is among the headliners.

She’s set to headline the 2026 festival alongside Charli XCX, Tate McRae, Lorde, John Summit, Jennie, The Smashing Pumpkins and The xx.

Lil Uzi Vert, Leon Thomas, Clipse, Freddie Gibbs, Mustard, Destin Conrad and Justine Skye are also scheduled to perform.

“Welp see you here too I guess…,” Pusha T of Clipse wrote alongside the lineup on his Instagram Story.

Lollapalooza is set to take place July 30 to Aug. 2 at Chicago’s Grant Park. A presale begins Thursday at 10 a.m. CT, and tickets go on sale to the general public at 11 a.m. CT.

The full lineup and ticket information can be found on Lollapalooza.com.

Rise Against announces US tour with Alkaline Trio

March 17, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Chicago bands unite as Rise Against announces a tour with Alkaline Trio.

The joint outing launches Sept. 22 in Dallas and wraps up Oct. 23 in Irvine, California.

“This isn’t just a tour, but a celebration of two bands that sprung from the same soil and the same Chicago basements and bowling alleys,” reads a post on the Rise Against Facebook. “We can’t wait to link back up with our Windy City brethren, Alkaline Trio. Together, we take what we both started so long ago on a tour that is long overdue.”

Oddly, though, there isn’t a Chicago date currently scheduled on the tour, though fans in the comments are theorizing it’ll make a stop at Chicago’s Riot Fest in September.

For the full list of announced dates and all ticket info, visit RiseAgainst.com.

Rise Against is currently on a spring U.S. tour in support of their latest album, 2025’s Ricochet.

Kip Moore has ‘Reason to Believe’ on seventh album

March 17, 2026 by WDNY Radio

Kip Moore’s seventh studio album, Reason to Believe, was recorded during the loss of his mentor and first producer, Brett James, and is named for a song he particularly loved.

For Kip, it’s particularly personal.

“I felt like I was describing more of who I am as a human. This album is my daily thoughts. In here,” he says, pointing to his heart. “It’s an ‘in here’ kind of thing.”

In addition to shows with Cody Johnson and Billy Currington, Kip will set out on the Reason to Believe World Tour in 2026, playing stadiums and arenas in Australia, New Zealand, Europe, South Africa, the U.S. and the U.K.

Here’s the complete track listing for Reason to Believe, which comes out May 29:
“Levee”
“Get What Ya Give”
“The Darkness”
“Heartbreaker”
“Headlights”
“You & Me”
“Faith in the Wind”
“Reason to Believe”
“Lonely Tonight”
“Long Time Coming”
“Wild Things”
“Sober”
“Josephine”

+ More